Who could doubt the loyalty of dogs? They are the best friends of the human being, those who are always willing to follow the adventures and the routine, brighten the days and console themselves in difficult times. As a result, many people are afraid and don’t know what to do when the dog passes over the owner, shows their teeth or tries to bite it.
Unfortunately, there is still a tendency to associate the aggressive behavior of dogs with character, which is one of the main reasons for abandonment. Therefore, it should be remembered that no dog, regardless of race, sex or age, is “bad” by nature and that there are no “killer” breeds. Canine aggression is a behavioral problem that can have different causes, depending on the lifestyle, education, routine and health of each individual.
- At Animal Expert.
- We intend to help you better understand your best friend and deconstruct some myths about canine behavior.
- So today we will explain why a dog can try to bite or attack people and we will also answer the question “the dog bites the owner: what to do?”.
However, before starting, it is important to note that an aggressive dog must be treated by a properly trained professional. If your dog is aggressive or tries to bite you, look for a veterinarian who specializes in canine ethology, do not try to apply methods that you do not know or understand completely, as this can be very dangerous.
You’ve probably experienced the situation of playing with your dog and suddenly taking a bite. Generally, in this context, the dog only “marks” slightly and does not apply a strong bite, although this is not a rule. This happens very often, especially with puppies, as they are in the most energetic phase of a dog’s life.
During childhood, the puppy needs to explore the environment, discover the stimuli that surround him, play and express himself freely. This is part of physical and cognitive growth, fundamental to developing your senses and stimulating your intelligence. At this age, the act of biting is extremely common not only because the puppy changes teeth, but also because it uses its mouth to discover the world around it.
However, when the puppy reaches the third week of life, he should start working on inhibiting the bite to prevent him from assimding as a positive bite to bite the owner or other people during the game or in his daily life. When a dog does not practice biting as a child, it is very likely that it will acquire the habit of biting when playing as an adult. This behavior, which initially seems harmless, can end up being very unpleasant or even dangerous, especially in dogs that usually play with children or the elderly.
Many people also wonder why the dog bites the owner’s foot, this behavior can also be a habit acquired during his first months or weeks of life, especially if the tutor encourages him to hunt his feet as if it were a game. In doing so, the keeper unconsciously presents his foot as a “prey”, awakening the hunting instinct present in all dogs innately.
If your puppy is changing teeth and wants to bite everything, we recommend that you buy a Kong toy or a puppy toy. Don’t get used to your puppy to bite your hands or feet, as you’ll reinforce a behavior you won’t want to repeat in the future.
Unfortunately, another very common and disturbing situation is for the dog to move forward or try to bite the owner when the owner tries to get something out of his mouth or approaches his “personal belongings” (toys, food, etc.). This occurs when the dog considers an object so valuable that he is afraid of losing it and then resorts to aggression to prevent someone from depriving him of that element. This “possessive” behavior in dogs is called resource protection and should be treated appropriately to avoid domestic accidents.
For a dog, its “protected resources” can be objects, physical spaces, and even people. For example, some dogs are possessive of their owners and try to attack anyone who approaches them. While other dogs may try to bite anyone who approaches food or toys. In nature, resource protection is critical to species survival, especially in times of scarcity. However, when we talk about pets, such as dogs, this behavior is extremely dangerous and needs to be corrected.
Therefore, it is essential to prevent the dog from becoming possessive and the best way to do this is to induce it from the first months of life. In addition to working on bite inhibition, it is also essential to teach the dog to drop objects, always using positive reinforcement to stimulate learning and reward good behaviors.
It will also be essential to socialize your puppy to avoid behavioral problems such as aggression and resource protection. But if you decide to adopt an adult dog, you should know that it is also possible to socialize an adult dog always with patience, affection and the help of positive reinforcement.
Many caregivers, when bitten by the dog itself, think that their dog attacked suddenly, for no apparent reason. But it is important to note that a dog hardly attacks anyone “out of nowhere”, especially when it comes to its guardian. What usually happens is that because dogs cannot interpret the body language, many people do not perceive the signs that precede an attack.
In the vast majority of cases, aggression appears to be the dog’s last resort to protect its integrity or prevent any stimulus from its surroundings from continuing to threaten its well-being. In the face of extreme behaviors, such as biting its own owner, the dog usually presents symptoms of stress, showing discomfort or dissatisfaction with certain behaviors.
If a dog attacks a person, it is usually because it perceives in it a kind of threat to its physical and emotional integrity or a risk to the well-being of its territory, its guardians or relatives. A person who is afraid of a dog, for example, will express this fear through their attitudes and also through their body smells. The dog will easily perceive this negative emotion and, therefore, can adopt an aggressive-defensive posture by seeing in this individual a strange and potentially dangerous behavior.
It’s also important to pay attention to your own daily body language with your best friend. Your dog will easily notice when you’re angry, upset, or stressed, and the behavior will likely also change and may react in a strange or negative way.
These are the main causes that can lead a dog to be strange to its owner or to be aggressive with others. However, remember that only the veterinarian is able to diagnose the specific cause of a behavior problem in your dog, after examining it, analyzing lifestyle and routine. Therefore, if you notice that your dog’s character has changed, take it to the trusted veterinarian to analyze your best friend’s health and check the cause of this inappropriate behavior.
Os cachorros também podem se tornar agressivos quando sentem dor e percebem que estão mais vulneráveis. Um cachorro estranhando o dono sem motivos aparentes, evitando o contato com seus familiares e tentando morder todo mundo pode ter algum problema de saúde. Por isso, se seu melhor amigo apresenta problemas de conduta, a primeira coisa a se fazer é levá-lo ao veterinário.
This is one of the main causes of behavioral problems in dogs, including the development of aggression. Stress in dogs can have different causes, such as a sedentary lifestyle or physical activity, a negative environment, sudden changes in their routine or a change of home, the arrival of new family members, etc. To learn more about this, check out our article on how to reduce my dog’s stress.
Dogs that have not been properly socialized may have difficulty interacting and living with other people, whether people or animals. The socialization process teaches the dog to feel safe and to have positive relationships with people and the stimuli that surround their environment. Therefore, it is an indispensable step in the education of dogs, which helps prevent various behavioral problems and gives dogs the opportunity to live a healthy social life.
Communication problems between guardians and dogs are also among the leading causes of bite and domestic accidents. Dogs mainly use their body to express their moods, emotions and perceptions about the things that happen around them. Therefore, if you want to understand your best friend and improve the bond with him, it is essential to study a little the body language of dogs and the possible meanings of their postures, facial expressions and looks.
In cases where a dog bites the owner or tries to do so, you should not try to punish, yell at, or have an attitude that develops more tension. Remember that by responding to the assault with more aggression, you could end up causing a new and worse attack, with the risk of serious injury.
In this context, you must act in a serene, defined and balanced way to transmit safety and tranquility to your dog. Maintain a neutral posture and act naturally, avoid sudden or fast gestures, and don’t look directly or directly into the animal’s eyes. When the dog looks the other way, you can walk away very slowly, without turning your back on it.
You’ll have to wait for the dog to calm down and return to its normal behavior before you get closer. Meanwhile, wash the area where the bite occurred with water and mild soap and analyze the severity of the wound. If necessary, consult a doctor.
When the dog is calm and balanced, it will be the perfect time to take it to the vet to comment on the incident and check the cause of your dog’s aggressive behavior. Finding a professional specialized in canine ethology is the most indicated, the veterinarian will analyze the health of your best friend to rule out any health problems that could cause a development of aggression. Soon you can guide yourself in the search for a canine educator to, together, establish a treatment according to the needs of your dog.
Finally, it is important to remember that it is very dangerous to apply methods that you do not know or that you do not master at all, especially when it comes to an aggressive dog. Seek professional help for the sake of your dog and everyone around you.
Discover the world’s strongest bite dogs in our YouTube video
If you want to read articles similar to Puppy Bites the Owner: What to do, we recommend that you visit our Behavioral Problems section.